Reel mechanism and control assembly

ABSTRACT

A reel control assembly for a plurality of like reel mechanisms for a gaming machine, comprises a support structure having a plurality of electronic connection ports. Each of the connection ports is provided to receive a connection means provided on a reel mechanism for an electronic connection therebetween. The connection ports are electronically linked to a master controller circuit board, which provides an electronic linkage to a gaming machine. The connection ports may be provided in side-by-side relationship in a housing. Guidance means in the form of location structures on the support structure for cooperation with location structures on a reel mechanism may be provided to facilitate accurate mounting of a reel mechanism and electrical connection with the appropriate connection port. The circuit board may provide control signals to some or all components of a reel mechanism including stepper motors, LCD/OLED screens, lamp/LED arrays and optic feedback devices.

This invention relates to reel mechanisms such as are used in entertainment machines.

Entertainment machines, such as fruit machines may have reels which are mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. A symbol-bearing band is fixed around the periphery of the reel and the reel is rotated and then brought to rest so that one or more selected symbols are displayed through a window.

The reel may comprise a frame structure which is mounted on the spindle of an electric motor which is fixed to a support which extends alongside the reel. The support is mounted on a supporting structure of the machine and electrical leads link the motor to the electrical control system of the machine.

It is known, as described for example in WO 99/48067 to mount the reel support on the machine supporting structure via a foot. The foot is fixed to the supporting structure and the reel support is detachably engaged with the foot. Also electrical leads from the motor are connected to the electrical system of the machine via detachably interengageable male and female connectors respectively on the reel support and the foot. With this know arrangement the reel and it support can be readily installed within the machine and also removed when required e.g. for repair and maintenance or for replacement of the symbol-bearing reel band. However, a relatively complicated mechanism is required to effect the releasable interengagement between the reel support and the foot bearing in mind that accurate, robust mounting of the reel is an important requirement.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved releasable mounting for a rotatable reel whereby secure, accurate mounting and easy release can be ensured with a structure which is convenient and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate the control of a plurality of reel mechanisms used in a gaming machine.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a reel control assembly for a plurality of like reel mechanisms for a gaming machine, each comprising an upstanding reel support, a reel mountable on a reel support so as to be rotatable about an axis transverse to the support, via a stepper motor, and an electronic connection means, the device comprising a support structure having a plurality of electronic connection ports for receiving one of said connection means, each of the connection ports being electronically linked to a master controller circuit board, which provides an electronic linkage to a gaming machine.

With this arrangement, a plurality of reels can be conveniently controlled from a central control device or hub which in turn can be connected to a gaming machine via a single link. This arrangement removes such control from a central control unit of a gaming machine, which is important where the functions and mechanisms employed to control the reel are complex.

The (or each) electronic connection means and connection ports preferably comprise male and female plug-and-socket structures. Therefore, the (or each) reel mechanism may comprise a forwardly projecting plug member and the support structure of the device may comprise a socket member.

The support structure may comprise a supporting base for mounting of said reel mechanisms thereon and an upstanding wall in which said ports are mounted for connection thereto via said connection means. The ports may be are arranged in side-by-side arrangement for facilitating side-by-side arrangement of said reel mechanisms.

The electronic linkage to a gaming machine preferable comprises a serial link The device may be operable to control any, some, or all of the following mechanisms or components incorporated by some or all of the reel mechanisms, either solely or in combination: stepper motor, light LED illuummaton, optic feedback, RGB, LED's, LCD or OLED screen.

The supporting base may provide location structures for cooperation with location structures provided by the reel mechanism which function to mount each reel mechanism in position and provide a guide for the accurate connection of the connection means and connection mechanism.

Therefore, according to a second aspect of the invention therefore there is provided a reel mechanism comprising an upstanding reel support a reel mountable on the reel support so as to be rotatable about an axis transverse to the support, a support structure having at least one first retention structure at a forward region thereof and at least one first location structure rearwardly of the (or each) first retention structure, a foot fixed to the support at a lower region thereof and extending transversely to the upstanding reel support and to the said rotation axis, said foot having at least one second retention structure at a forward end region thereof and at least one second location structure rearwardly of said forward end region, whereby the foot is detachably mountable on the support structure by releasable interengagement respectively of the first and second retention structures and the first and second location structure.

With this arrangement reliance on the use of two sets of releasably interengageable parts between the foot and the support structure facilitates secure accurate mounting of the rotatable reel whilst permitting ready installation and removal as required.

Moreover, insofar as the releasable interengagement relies on parts provided respectively on the foot and the support structure, it need not be necessary to rely on intricate compact structures whereby manufacture can be facilitated.

The first and second retention structures may comprise cooperable male and female plug-and-socket structures. These may consist of, or include electrical plug-and-socket structures. Thus, there may be a forwardly projecting plug member on the foot, which is cooperable with an upstanding rearwardly facing socket member on the support structure.

The first and second location structures may comprise cooperable projection and aperture structures whereby the (or each) projection fits into the respective aperture and prevents movement in at least one direction by engagement with peripheral regions of the aperture. This prevention of movement may be in one or more directions in the plane of the aperture. Additionally however it also is effective in a direction transversely to such plane e.g. such that the foot is restrained against lifting off the support structure. Thus, the aperture may have an enlargement e.g. of the nature of a keyhole, and the projection may be a headed projection, whereby the head can pass through the enlargement but is too wide to pass through the reminder of the aperture.

The aperture of the (or each) pair of cooperable location structures may be in the foot and the projection may be an upstanding projection, on the support structure.

The interengagement between the respective location and retention structures may be retained solely frictionally i.e. so that the structures are pushed into interengagement and disengagement is effected solely by pulling the structures apart. However, other means of retention may also apply. For example, the foot may be resiliently deformable whereby it has to be deformed slightly to move it into and out of interengagement so that it is held securely in engagement by the resilience of the foot. It is also possible to provide additional releasable catches or locks separate to or forming part of the retention or location structures.

To facilitate movement of the foot into and/or out of interengagement there may be an upstanding tab or gripping member on the foot e.g. at a rearward end portion thereof, which can be readily gripped in a persons hand.

The foot may be a generally flat structure which is arranged to overlie a generally flat top surface of the support structure.

The foot may be formed integrally with the reel support although detachable arrangements are also possible.

The reel support may also be a generally flat structure with a transversely projecting mounting part to receive an electric motor.

The reel may be a frame work structure having two circular rims held inside by side disposition by transverse struts, and having further radial struts connecting the rims to a central hub.

A plurality of like reel mechanisms may be assembled with side by side arrangement of reel, reel supports and feet mounted on a common support structure having a plurality of respective location and retention structures.

The reel mechanism of the invention may be used to display selected symbols in an entertainment machine whereby a symbol-bearing reel band may be fixed around the periphery of the reel and the reel mechanism may be mounted e.g. within a cabinet, so that a portion of the periphery of the reel can be displayed through a window.

The first aspect may be provided with some or all of the features as described in relation to the second aspect of the invention and vice versa.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reel mechanism in conjunction with a control assembly;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatical side view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical rear view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, a reel mechanism 1 comprises a conventional reel 2, a reel support 3, a support structure 4 and a foot 5.

The reel 2 is a skeleton structure having opposed circular openwork side walls 6 held in spaced disposition by circumferentially spaced peripheral radially extending struts 7.

Each side wall 6 has an outer rim 8 with an axially inwardly directed peripheral flange 9. The two flanges 9 define a channel for location of a symbol-bearing reel band (not shown).

One side wall 6 has a central hub 10 supported within the respective rim 8 by radial spokes 11.

The support 3 extends alongside the side wall 6 opposing the side wall 6 with the hub 10, externally of the reel 2 and comprises an upstanding panel comprising upper and lower parts 3 a, 3 b respectively attached by a connection piece 3 c.

A stepper motor 12 is mounted on the upper part 3 a of the support 3 between the side walls 6, centrally of the reel 2, with an axle 13 of the motor 12 extending to engage with the hub 10.

The lower part 3 b is mounted to the foot 5 at a bottom end, the foot 5 comprising an elongate plate extending transversely to the upstanding support 3 which is attached thereto along a longitudinal edge.

The plate comprises two apertures 14 arranged one behind the other along the longitudinal axis of the plate, transversely to the axis of the reel 2. Each aperture 14 has an enlarged portion (not shown), providing a keyhole shape.

The plate also comprises a male electrical plug 15 located in an upstanding member 16 attached at a front short edge of the plate, which is electronically connected to the motor 12 via the foot 5 and support 3.

An electrical connection (not shown) travels from the electrical plug 15 through the foot 5 and the support 3 to the motor 12 and any additional apparatus requiring electrical signals, e.g. a lamp unit.

A rear short edge of the plate comprises a gripping structure comprising an upstanding member 17 having an aperture 18 to facilitate handling of the mechanism.

The support structure 4 comprises an elongate shelf having a flat upper surface 19, with a plurality of pairs of studs 25 attached thereto the pairs being arranged longitudinally along a central region of the shelf in equally spaced apart locations. Each stud of a pair is equally spaced apart from its pairing stud in a direction transverse to that of the arrangement of the pairs. Each stud 25 has an enlarged head 25 a on a short neck 25 b.

The shelf also comprises a plurality of female electrical sockets 20 mounted side by side within an upstanding box-shaped housing 21 extending along a longitudinal edge region of the shelf and attached thereto using screws in brackets 22. Each socket 20 is arranged to be disposed centrally before a pair of studs 25 on the shelf.

A single printed circuit board (PCB) 23 is mounted within the housing 21 behind the female electrical sockets 20, for connection thereto. A serial cable 24 connects the PCB 23 to a control unit of a gaming machine (not shown), therefore, a plurality or reels can be connected to the PCB 23 which can control all the functions of the bank of reels via the single serial link 24.

The PCB 23 is the master reel controller and can provide all of the appropriate signals to all electronically controlled components of each of the reel mechanisms 1, including, for example, controlling the reel movement 2 via the motor 12 including any optic feedback devices, lamp or LED illumination including more demanding RGB LEDs in a lamp array, LCD or OLED screens mounted on or behind the reel 2, which is effected through the single connection between the plug 15 and the socket 20.

These mechanisms and components of the reel 2 requires additional processing capability which can be removed from a central controller of a gaming machine and be instead provided by the PCB 23, which is in turn connected to the gaming machine controller via the standard serial link 24.

In an alternative embodiment, the reel mechanisms 1 are provided with a wire harness that connects to the mechanism, which in turn connects to the PCB 23 via a plug and socket connection as described above.

In use, the reel 2, support 3 and foot 5 are lifted into engagement with the support structure 4, using gripping member 17 so that the apertures 14 of the foot 5 and the studs 25 of the support structure 4 are inter-engaged, the head 25 a of one pair of studs 25 being passed through the enlarged portion of the apertures 14 in the plate. The foot 5 is pushed forward so that the head 25 a of each stud 25 passes beyond the enlarged portion of the apertures 14, the neck 25 b of each stud travelling along the apertures 14. The pair of studs 25 act to guide the male electrical plug 15 into retaining engagement with the respective female socket 20 as the neck 25 b of each stud 25 reaches the end of its respective aperture 14.

The neck 25 b, the aperture 14 and the head 25 a of each stud 25 have a tight frictional interaction preventing movement in a sideways, forward and backward direction and preventing disengagement in an upward direction due to the enlarged heads 25 a. The inter-engagement of the electrical plug 15 and socket 20 is an electrical connection providing electrical control signals to the motor 12 of the reel 2.

A plurality of the reel mechanisms 1 may be attached to the support structure 4 in side by side disposition.

The support structure 4 can be mounted in a gaming machine housing such that a portion of the symbol-bearing bands of each reel mechanism 1 can be seen through a window in a front panel of the housing. The serial cable 24 can be connected to the control unit of the gaming machine.

A lamp unit (not shown) can be adjustably attached to the support 4 positioned between the side walls 6, just below the symbol-bearing band, thereby providing lighting to a number of the symbols, say 3 symbols, that are displayed through the window of the gaming machine housing.

When electrical signals are received from the control unit through the serial cable 24, the signals are passed through the PCB 23, the engaged electrical socket 20 and plug 15, the foot 5, and the support 3 to the motor 12 and other components of the reel mechanism as mentioned above such as any optic feedback devices, lamp or LED illumination including more demanding RGB LEDs in a lamp array, LCD screens, OLED screens or digital ink paper mounted on the reel 2 in place of or in addition to symbol-bearing strips.

Disengagement of the reel mechanism 1 can be effected by pulling the member 17, separating the electrical plug 15 and socket 20 from retaining engagement and moving the heads 51 of the respective pair of studs 25 into the enlarged portion of the apertures 14. From this position, the reel mechanism 1 can be lifted upwardly so that the heads 51 of the studs 25 pass through the enlarged portion of the apertures 14 and the reel mechanism 1 can be removed from the machine.

The releasable mounting is simple and effective providing a secure and accurate mounting mechanism which is easy to use. Furthermore, the mechanism is convenient and inexpensive to manufacture.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment, which are described by way of example only. Thus for example, instead of the support structure 4 providing for a plurality of reel mechanisms 1, only one reel mechanism 1 may be provided to act as an auxiliary reel for a feature game or otherwise. Furthermore, the apertures may be joined to comprise a single slot which runs from the front of the foot 5 to a rearward region to receive both studs 25. 

1. A reel control assembly for a plurality of like reel mechanisms for a gaming machine, each comprising an upstanding reel support, a reel mountable on a reel support so as to be rotatable about an axis transverse to the support, via a stepper motor, and an electronic connection means, the device comprising a support structure having a plurality of electronic connection ports for receiving one of said connection means, each of the connection ports being electronically linked to a master controller circuit board, which provides an electronic linkage to a gaming machine.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the (or each) electronic connection means and connection ports comprise male and female plug-and-socket structures.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the (or each) reel mechanism comprises a forwardly projecting plug member and the support structure of the device comprises a socket member.
 4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a supporting base for mounting of said reel mechanisms thereon and an upstanding wall in which said ports are mounted for connection thereto via said connection means.
 5. The assembly according to claim 4 wherein the ports are arranged in side-by-side arrangement for facilitating side-by-side arrangement of said reel mechanisms.
 6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electronic linkage to a gaming machine comprises a serial link.
 7. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the device controls any of the following mechanisms of the reel mechanisms, either solely or in combination: stepper motor, light LED illumination, optic feedback, RGB, LED's, LCD or OLED screen.
 8. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the supporting base provides location structures for cooperation with location structures on the reel mechanism.
 9. A reel mechanism comprising an upstanding reel support, a reel mountable on the reel support so as to be rotatable about an axis transverse to the support, a support structure having at least one first retention structure at a forward region thereof and at least one first location structure rearwardly of the (or each) first retention structure, a foot fixed to the support at a lower region thereof and extending transversely to the upstanding reel support and to the said rotation axis, said foot having at least one second retention structure at a forward end region thereof and at least one second location structure rearwardly of said forward end region, whereby the foot is detachably mountable on the support structure by releasable interengagement respectively of the first and second retention structures and the first and second location structure.
 10. The mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the releasable interengagement relies on parts provided respectively on the foot and the support structure.
 11. The mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the first and second retention structures comprise cooperable male and female plug-and-socket structures.
 12. The mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the male and female structures consist of, or include electrical plug-and-socket structures.
 13. The mechanism according to claim 12, wherein there is a forwardly projecting plug member on the foot, which is cooperable with an upstanding rearwardly facing socket member on the support structure.
 14. The mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the first and second location structures comprise cooperable projection and aperture structures whereby the (or each) projection fits into the respective aperture and prevents movement in at least one direction by engagement with peripheral regions of the aperture.
 15. The mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the aperture has an enlargement of the nature of a keyhole, and the projection is a headed projection, whereby the head can pass through the enlargement but it is too wide to pass through the reminder of the aperture.
 16. The mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the aperture of the (or each) pair of cooperable location structures are in the foot and the projection is an upstanding projection on the support structure.
 17. The mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the interengagement between the respective location and retention structures are retained solely frictionally so that the structures are pushed into interengagement and disengagement is effected solely by pulling the structures apart.
 18. The mechanism according to claim 10 wherein, to facilitate movement of the foot into and/or out of interengagement there is an upstanding tab or gripping member on the foot at a rearward end portion thereof, which can be readily gripped.
 19. The mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the foot is formed integrally with the reel support.
 20. (canceled) 